Your Undivided Attention
by Kelcat
Summary: Nathaniel is tired of Ser Pounce-a-lot getting all of Anders' attention.


"Sometimes I think you love that cat more than you love me." Nathaniel's eyes were as intense as usual, but there was a teasing smile on his face.

Anders settled Ser Pounce-a-lot more firmly in his lap, tickling under the kitten's chin. "Nonsense. Just because I fuss over him doesn't mean I love him _more _than you."

Nathaniel looked back down at his book, flipping to the next page. "You buy him gifts, you give him food fit for a feast, you got him his own bed to sleep in—"

"It's just a basket with a blanket in it," Anders protested. "It isn't as if he has a whole person-sized bed to himself."

"And if he so much as _sneezes_," Nathaniel continued, ignoring him, "you fret over him as if he is at death's door."

Ser Pounce-a-lot chose that exact moment to let out a quiet mewl. Anders immediately started fussing over him. "What's the matter, kitty, hm? Are you hungry?" The kitten mewled pathetically. "Poor thing," he crooned. "Let's get you something to eat."

Nathaniel rolled his eyes. "See? He has you wrapped around his finger."

Anders was striding towards the door leading out of the library, Pounce snuggled in his arms. "He does not," he said over his shoulder to Nathaniel. "He's still too little to take care of himself, he needs me." Anders pushed the door open and stepped out into the hallway, presumably headed towards the kitchen to fix the cat a grand feast.

It wasn't as if Nathaniel was jealous of the cat, that idea was ridiculous. He just thought that the mage pampered the cat all too much. Animals were meant to be useful, to serve an important function within the household. Mabaris were trained for battles, but they also made excellent hunting dogs. Cats were expected to be mousers, to keep the home clear of vermin. The only thing Anders' cat seemed to do was sleep or play – he never did anything _useful. _Nathaniel had never seen the point of keeping an animal who didn't serve a purpose.

It never occurred to him that Pounce might actually serve a _very_ useful purpose: giving Anders unconditional love; something the mage had received very little of during his life.

Nearly an hour passed before Anders finally returned. "Pounce is fine," Anders said reassuringly, as if Nathaniel was worried about the cat. "He practically ate a whole salmon by himself; I don't think anyone fed him this morning when I was at the Hatley's delivering that baby."

Nathaniel felt a small stab of guilt as he realized that _he _was supposed to have fed the cat; it had completely slipped his mind.

"Anyway," Anders continued, "he's in bed, sleeping like a babe." He walked over to Nathaniel and took the book out of his unprotesting hands. "Which means we have the night to ourselves." Smiling slyly, he crawled onto Nathaniel's lap, straddling his legs.

"You have..." he leaned in to kiss Nathaniel's neck softly, "my undivided attention." His head tilted up and he kissed Nathaniel's lips. "That's what you were wanting, wasn't it?"

Nathaniel nodded grudgingly. "Perhaps."

Anders laughed. "You shouldn't get jealous over Pounce. As much as I love him, you're still the one who holds my heart." He placed a hand over Nathaniel's breast, his expression tender. "Right here."

Nathaniel softened, his sour mood gone as quickly as it had come. He placed a hand over Anders', squeezing it gently. "And I don't intend to give it back."

The mage placed another soft kiss on Nathaniel's lips. "I'd be _extremely _disappointed if you ever did." As he drew back, Nathaniel saw a twinkle of mirth in his eyes. Anders let out a sad sigh, clearly feigned. "I suppose I'll have to prove it to you, though… won't I?"

Nathaniel took his cue. "It would be very remiss of you not to give me at least a bit of reassurance."

Anders grinned as he slid off of Nathaniel's lap and knelt on the floor in front of him. "Well, we can't have that now, can we?"

Later, as they lay on the rug in front of the fire, wrapped in each other's arms, Nathaniel addressed their earlier disagreement. "I suppose I don't mind you giving the cat attention."

Anders nuzzled against Nathaniel's neck, lips brushing along the skin. "But you certainly don't mind me trying to make it up to you."

Nathaniel silently agreed that he couldn't really argue with that.


End file.
